Prayers of Thanksgiving After Holy Communion

1.

Glory to thee, O God; Glory to thee, O God; Glory to thee, O God.

2.

I thank thee, O Lord my God, that thou hast not rejected me, a sinner, but hast accounted me worthy to become a communicant of thy holy Mysteries. I thank thee that thou hast accounted me, the unworthy, worthy to partake of thine immaculate and heavenly gifts. But, O Master who lovest mankind, who didst both die for us and rise again, and didst bestow upon us these thy terrible and life-giving Mysteries for the benefiting and sanctification of our souls and bodies; grant that they may be for me also unto the healing of soul and body, unto the averting of everything contrary thereto; unto the enlightenment of the eyes of my heart; unto the peace of my spiritual powers; unto faith invincible; unto love unfeigned; unto fulfilling of wisdom; unto the keeping of thy commandments; unto growth in thy divine grace, and the attainment of thy kingdom; that by them preserved in thy holiness, I may ever remember thy grace, and henceforth live not unto myself, but unto thee, our Master and Benefactor. And thus, when this life is ended in the hope of eternal life, I may attain unto everlasting rest, where the voice of those who keep festival is unceasing, and the delight of those who behold the ineffable beautify of thy countenance is boundless: for thou art the true desire and unutterable joy of those who love thee, O Christ our God, and all creation hymneth thee forever. Amen.

3. A Prayer of St. Basil the Great

O Master, Christ our God, King of the ages, and maker of all things: I thank thee for all the good things which thou hast bestowed upon me, and for this partaking of thine immaculate and life-giving Mysteries. Wherefore I pray thee, who art good and lovest mankind: Keep me under thy protection, and in the shadow of thy wings; and grant unto me with a pure conscience and even unto my last breath, to partake of thy holy Mysteries, unto remission of sins and unto life everlasting. For thou art the Bread of Life, the Fountain of holiness, the Giver of good things, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

4. A Prayer of St. Simon Metaphrastes

O thou who willingly dost give thy flesh to me as food,Thou who art a Fire, consuming the unworthy,Consume me not, O my Creator;But rather pass through all my body parts,Into all my joints, my reins, my heart.Burn thou the thorns of all my transgressions,Cleanse my soul, and hallow thou my thoughts.Make firm my knees, and my bones likewise;Enlighten as one my five senses,Establish me wholly in thy fear;Ever shelter me, and guard and keep meFrom every soul-corrupting deed and word,Chasten me, purify me, and control me;Adorn me, teach me, and enlighten me.Show me to be a Tabernacle of thy Spirit only,And in no wise the dwelling-place of sin,That from me, thy habitation, through the entrance of thy Communion,Every evil deed and every passion may flee as from fire.As intercessors I bring to thee all the Saints,Both the Angelic Leaders of the Bodiless Powers,Thy Fore-runner, and thy wise Apostles;And besides these, thine immaculate and chaste Mother;Do thou accept their prayers, my Christ, who are compassionate,And make thy servant to be a child of the light:For thou alone, Good Lord, are the sanctification and splendor of our souls,And to thee as God and Master, day by day,Duly we ascribe all glory.

5.

May thy holy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, be unto me for life eternal, and thy precious Blood unto remission of my sins. May this Eucharist be unto me for joy, health, and gladness; and at thy dread Second Coming make me, a sinner, worthy to stand at the right hand of thy glory: through the intercessions of thine all-immaculate Mother and of all thy Saints. Amen.

6. A Prayer to the All-Holy Theotokos

O All-holy Lady Theotokos, light of my darkened soul, my hope, my shelter, my refuge, my consolation and my joy: I thank thee that thou hast accounted me worthy, although unworthy, to be a partaker of the immaculate Body and precious Blood of thy Son. But do thou, who gavest birth to the true Light, enlighten the mental eyes of my heart; O thou who didst bear the fountain of immortality, quicken thou me who lie dead in sin, O compassion-loving Mother of the merciful God, have mercy upon me, and grant me humility and contrition of heart, and meekness in my thoughts, and deliverance from the bondage of my vain imaginings. And account me worthy, even unto my last breath, to receive without condemnation the sanctification of the immaculate Mysteries, unto the healing of both soul and body. And grant unto me tears of repentance and confession, that I may hymn thee and glorify thee all the days of my life: for blessed and glorified art thou unto all ages. Amen.